SOZOPOL
СОЗОПОЛ
On the Black Sea Coast

The town of Sozopol with population of 5,000 people is situated 34 km South-East of Bourgas, and 420 km south-east of Sofia. The town lies on a small rocky peninsula in the farthest southern area of the the Bourgas Bay. A 100 metre long strip of land connects it to the mainland. Only wooden houses have been built there ever since; the oldest samples can be observed even today in the unique old streets. Sozopol welcomed the Liberation as small fishermen's settlement. The landmarks in Sozopol are many, but none of them can be separated from the rest since all of them impact the visitors as an attractive ensemble. The ancient churches from the Revival Period - St. Zosim Church and The Holy Virgin Church. The following houses are quite interesting: the house of Dimitur Laskaridis (17th century, now an art gallery), a fish trader, Ana Trendafilova's (the house with the sun), of Kourtidis, Una Psarianova's (now arranged as Stenata Restaurant), of Grandmother Koukoulissa Hadzhinikolova (today housing the office of Sturshel Newspaper), Metropoliev's House (a medical centre at present), of Kreanoolu, etc. The old cobbled streets and high fences in front of which the old women sit and chat, knit laces and sell fig jam, are inseparable elements of a whole complex of 3 centuries of history. Interesting places to visit are the Archaeological Museum and the Art Gallery. At the beginning of September each year the town hosts the big Apolonia International Art Festival. Accommodation. There are lodgings in the old part and in the new part of the town as well. There are a lot of camping sites around Sozopol where many tourists spend their holidays: Kavatsite (The Willows), Smokinya (The Fig), Vesselie (Feast), Zlatna Ribka (Golden Fish) and Gradina (Garden). They offer bungalows of different categories, sites for caravans, tents and automobiles. The traditional establishments are the small coastal restaurants, small private places both in the old and new part of the town, the stalls for fish, the pizza-huts, the snack-bars scattered all over the camping sites. Interesting catering establishments are Vyaturnata Melnitsa (The Windmill), Sozopol Tavern, Athens Tavern, the restaurants Xantana, Neptun, Drouzhba Fishing Boat, Orpheus, Olymp and Lilia. Some of them are very interesting as they are built on ancient remains and houses after detailed archaeological research and restorations. Such an example is Stenata Restaurant (The Wall) whose basements were used as a warehouse for grain far back in time, and Kladenetsa Restaurant (The Well) which was built at the place of a spring, which supplied the town with drinking water via water pipes. The prices at the restaurants are high, moderate prices one can enjoy at the camping sites and in the small restaurants along the beach. There are a lot of grocer's and market places. One could buy fish directly from the fishermen at the quay. Around Sozopol: To the north is the well known resort at the village of Chernomorets, which borders the Gradina camping site. To the south of Sozopol there are a number of fjords-like formations. The coast here is particularly high and cut in by the incoming waves. There are numerous secluded coves. Mt. Bakurluka (376 m high) is above the town, and some 20 km to the south is the mouth of the Ropotamo River. There is a biosphere reserve, camping sites, very near is the famous Zmiiski Island (Snakes Island).
TOURIST INFORMATION Location: 34 km south of Bourgas Ground: Rocky peninsula. Beaches: In the town there are 2 beaches - 1) Central beach and 2) Harmani beach. On 3 km north from Sozopol we recommend the Golden Fish beach.